Again and again the same excuses for team building and engagement exercises are used in how they fail to achieve their purpose. None-the-less there seems to be a lack in individual employees understanding their roles inside a workplace. This lack of understanding leads to a lack of engagement so make sure you conduct a team health check.
Be one with the group
It makes sense that if an individual feels as though they belong to a group they will make an active effort to improve the group. If an employee feels as though they belong and have purpose in a working environment they will contribute positively. A group of working individuals will not account to much unless they aren’t working together. As the popular Japanese proverb goes –
“A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle.”
What people seem to struggle with the most is learning their own specific role in a group setting. They then must learn how their specific role in a group helps and contributes in order to feel they have a purpose, they have value.
One then may be content in their role and produce work that is tailored to best suit their specific role. Or one may seek to gain a greater role in their group and as such will produce work to the best ability of their ability to showcase their best talent. Either way, when individuals know and understand their responsibilities in a group environment the whole group will benefit. Science has now proved that communicating is key to team success. More so, when one feels like they belong to a group they will actively work to improve the group and in the corporate world there is nothing more valuable than the support of your co-workers.
Nurture individuality
It is essential that the individual’s positive quirks and traits be recognized in order to direct them towards contributing to the overall goal of a business. Obviously is it easier to do this in a small business environment but it is not impossible to do so on a larger scale. Team building exercises are a great way to engage employees and recognize thinking patterns and problem solving techniques of individuals outside of the office. If you do wish to partake in team building activities with your group you should ensure you choose an appropriate exercise by following a team building process. A 6am boot camp may not be suitable for a group of 75-year-old bankers for example.
Team building is often overlooked as an outdated way of engaging employees. Or perhaps the benefits of team building exercises are overlooked. Either way, there is a lot to be said for the individual recognition and purpose that is gained in such activities. Even if the team fails at the activity, when the story is told afterwards it will be told using the word ‘we’ rather than ‘I’, and that is the most important thing.